The present invention relates to a lifting mechanism for a crusher or size-reducing machine having a two-part machine housing and a horizontal rotor with striking tools, where the plane of separation between the lower housing part and the upper housing part of the machine extends through the plane of the central axis of the rotor, where said upper housing part can be raised about a pivot axis that is disposed parallel to the axis of the rotor via respective piston-cylinder units that are disposed on both sides of the upper housing part, with the latter being capable of being fixed in the raised position, and where the base of each of the two rotor shaft bearing housings is detachably secured to a floor stand on the lower housing part.
For a crusher having a two-part machine housing, lifting mechanisms of this type serve to raise the upper housing part of the machine in order to be able to repair or replace crushing tools in the machine housing and/or on the rotor.
To replace parts that cooperate with the crushing of material, a lifting mechanism of the aforementioned type is disclosed, for example, in DE OS No. 33 01 186 (FIGS. 2 and 4). With this mechanism, the hood or upper housing part of the machine is raised by means of piston-cylinder units disposed on both sides, and the rotor, the bearing housings of which are connected to the lower housing part of the machine, remains in this machine housing part, so that the worn-out parts on the rotor can be replaced. In order to replace tools in the lower housing part of the machine, the connections between the base of the bearing housing and the floor stand must be disconnected, and the rotor, including its two bearing housings, must be lifted out of the lower housing part of the machine via a separate lifting device.
However, such lifting devices are not always available. Furthermore, placing not only the rotor but also its two bearing housings into the operating position in the lower housing part of the machine takes a lot of time, because this process must only be carried with a certain precision.
DE OS No. 20 19 384 discloses a crusher having a two-part machine housing and a horizontal rotor with cutting tools where the rotor bearing housings are secured in the upper, raisable housing part of the machine. The rotor, along with its two bearing housings, thus participates, during raising of the upper housing part of the machine, in the pivotal movement of the latter, whereby the rotor bearing housings assume different positions in the operating and raised position of the upper housing part of the machine. In so doing there exists the danger that the oil located in each bearing housing for lubricating the rotor bearings will leak out of the associated sump. When the crusher is operated further, the oil loss causes damage or even destruction of the bearings of the rotor shaft.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a lifting mechanism of the aforementioned general type with which, in addition to raising the upper housing part of the machine, it is possible to raise the rotor, including its bearing housings, out of the lower housing part of the machine while retaining their position relative to one another.